Up Close and Personal
by dissolves
Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She’ll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will her emotions get in the way of her completing her task?
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is my first chapter fic! Please be nice and review!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters._

_Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will she survive long enough to complete her task?_

* * *

_Up Close and Personal_

_Chapter 1_

"No, you're holding the scroll wrong!"

Haruno Sakura's voice rang out in the classroom, making the young woman fumble and drop the scroll. The kunoichi sighed and ran a hand through her short pink hair, breathing deeply, trying to keep her patience in check.

She had been going over the same technique for almost two weeks and they still hadn't grasped how to perform it properly.

Determined to make them understand how the technique was done, Sakura whipped out a kunai and drew it across her arm, blood welling up from a cut. The entire class gasped; she didn't even flinch. Sakura took out a scroll and, holding it over the wound, did a hand seal. The small cut healed quickly.

There was silence in the classroom.

Grinning, she said, "That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you _properly_ use a simple healing scroll."

She glanced at the clock and tossed the scroll into a bin at her feet.

"You're all dismissed. Remember to practice and, please, don't kill anyone."

The class laughed and proceeded to clean up, each complimenting their sensei on an excellent demonstration as they filed out of the room. Once they were gone, Sakura sat down in a chair with a sigh, feeling drained. Handling teenagers and trying to teach them healing jutsu was a much harder job than it seemed.

"Long day?"

Sakura jumped at the voice, relaxing once she recognized the speaker. Shizune stood in the doorway, smiling at her, Tonton in her arms.

"Yeah, it's been a very long day." Replied Sakura. She stood from the chair and approached Shizune. "How can I help you?"

"Tsunade-sama is looking for you. I think she has a mission for you."

"What!" Sakura exclaimed. "A mission? I just started my job here!"

Shizune flinched at the angry tone in her voice before placing a hand on the girl's shoulder, attempting to placate her. "Let's just go see what she wants before we jump to conclusions."

The pink haired girl took a deep breath and nodded. "Fine, let's go."

They both walked out of the classroom, Sakura turning off the lights as they exited.

"**I hope what she has to say is important." **Stated Sakura's inner self.

"_I seriously doubt it."_

"**Just don't lose it and attack her. She is your sensei and Hokage after all."**

"_I won't."_

"**Uh-huh, sure…"**

"_Oh, shut up!"_

Sakura strode into the Hokage's office and sat down in a chair, trying to restrain herself from glaring darkly at the woman in front of her. Shizune hovered by the doorway, reluctant to walk in, not wanting to be caught in the middle when one of them snapped.

"Hello, Sakura!" Said Tsunade happily, a wide grin on her face.

"Hello, Tsunade-sama," She muttered.

"Well, you came here for a reason and here it is!" Tsunade rolled a scroll across her desk towards Sakura. The kunoichi caught it and opened it. As she read, her eyes narrowed more and more. When she finished, she closed it with a snap, and slammed it onto the desk.

"What the hell do you mean by this!" Asked Sakura angrily. Her inner self didn't usually show but this was one of those special moments.

"Well, Suna requested help from our most talented in training their medic ninja." Said Tsunade calmly. "And you're one of our most talented. I trust you won't mess up this mission. You will be leaving tomorrow with an ANBU escort."

Sakura's eye twitched. She was holding the arms of the chair in a grip so tight that her nails were digging into the fabric.

"_Do not attack her. Do not attack."_

"**Just restrain yourself with as much self-will as you have, which is practically zero."**

"_Shut it!"_

"Um, Sakura?" Questioned Tsunade tentatively.

"I'll hate it," Said Sakura. "But I will accept the mission." Relaxing visibly, the pink haired girl slumped in her chair, already resigned to her fate.

Tsunade smiled, surprised at how well the whole thing had gone.

The Fifth stood up and walked to the door, stopping by Sakura and said, "Just try to adapt and keep in touch. You're a kunoichi of Konoha. Remember that."

She left the office, Shizune following close behind. Sakura stood and left a few minutes later, trying to digest all the information that had been in the scroll.

It wasn't all bad, once she thought about it. Sure, she was going to be living in a distant village, not her own. And she was going to be gone for over 6 months. She was also allowed to withdraw whenever she wanted, if she saw that things weren't going well.

One problem stood out in her mind. She was going to be living with the Kazekage and his family.

"_We'll manage."_

Inner Sakura snorted. **"I wish I could believe that."**

* * *

Well, that's it for now. Remember to review! 


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. Thanks for all the reviews! Keep them coming; they inspire me! Remember to review after reading!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters. _

_Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will she survive long enough to complete her task?_

* * *

_Chapter 2_

Sakura stood at one of Konoha's gates, waiting patiently for her ANBU escort to arrive. Her pack rested beside her on the ground. It wasn't very big, since she assumed she could be able to buy what she would need for the next several months in Suna.

The sky was a light shade of blue, the sun barely visible on the distant horizon. The pink haired kunoichi took a deep breath of the fresh morning air and smiled.

The sound of approaching footsteps broke the peaceful silence. Sakura turned, curious to see who her escort was. She found herself face to face with…Kakashi.

She blinked, clearly not expecting to see her sensei. Oh, it seemed Tsunade was just full of surprises.

"Um, hello," She said, feeling awkward. She hadn't spoken to the man in quite a while. Seeing him again… it made certain memories resurface. Memories she didn't want to remember.

"Sakura!" He exclaimed. "I almost didn't recognize you!"

Sakura couldn't stop a grin from forming on her lips. "It's been a while, hasn't it, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Yes, it has."

And with those words, they exited the village. They were now on their way to Sunagakure.

&&&&&&&&&&&

Sakura peered curiously at the silver haired jonin, marveled by the speed at which he ate. How he managed to sneak spoonfuls behind that mask without her seeing was a mystery.

He hadn't changed much. He still wore that mask over most of his face; his headband still covered his Sharingan.

Kakashi put down his now empty bowl and reached into his pocket, taking out a pink novel. He settled down against a nearby tree and began reading. And he still read that perverted book…

Shaking her head, Sakura began to clean up the remnants of their lunch. Suddenly, a questioned formed in her mind.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Call me Kakashi," He said without looking up. "I am no longer your sensei."

"Oh, okay…"

"**It didn't bother him back then!" **Inner Sakura just couldn't keep her mouth shut. **"How come it bothers him now!"**

"_Shush! I'm sure he has his reasons."_

"You had a question?"

"Um, yes!" Sakura turned to face her former sensei. "Do you ever feel nostalgic?"

"Of what?" He questioned.

She knew perfectly well that he was just trying to avoid answering. The last time she had asked a similar question, he had never answered it. Of course, the last time she had asked had been a while ago.

"You know of what," She replied, her green eyes narrowing. "Of the times when we were genin and stuff,"

Sakura crossed her arms, waiting for his reply.

"Sakura, as a shinobi, there are many things you can come to regret. It might be how you handled a mission or something you said to a fellow teammate." He paused, taking a look at the patch of sky visible through the green leaves overhead.

"But, if you dwell on those regrets, they consume you. You start to think, "_I should've said this or done that." _You start to blame yourself for things that really weren't your fault. You should try not to think too much about past mistakes and such."

"Thanks, Kakashi." She said.

"Anytime, Sakura."

She sensed his smile from behind the mask. She offered a weak smiled in return before contemplating what he had said. In a way what he had said was true, so very true. Maybe Kakashi could be a good adviser…when he wanted to be one.

Then she realized something.

"Hey!" She exclaimed. "You didn't answer my question!"

He looked up from his book innocently. "What do you mean I didn't answer it?"

"Ugh, you are so frustrating, sensei!"

"I told you to call me Kakashi." He said teasingly.

* * *

_A/N2: This chapter was pretty much pointless. They'll probably reach the village next chapter. And Gaara might make an appearance! Remember to review! (I do tend to repeat myself, don't I?)_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Well, here's the third chapter! Remember to review after reading. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters._

_Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will she survive long enough to complete her task?_

* * *

_Chapter 3_

"How much longer until we reach the village?" Panted Sakura. She was out of breath from their climb up a rather large sand dune.

They had left the forest and its cool shade a while ago. Now, the bright, fiery sun beat down upon them.

"It should become visible any minute now." Replied Kakashi coolly. He wasn't even sweating! The man was inhuman. "But it'll be about another hour or two before we actually reach it."

Sakura groaned, brushing away some stray strands of pink hair from her flushed face. She hadn't even been in the Wind Country for a day and she already hated it. Everywhere she looked all she saw was sand. It was an endless sea of gritty sand that made her itch horribly.

"Come on," Called Kakashi from up ahead. "I think I can see the village."

Sakura scrambled over a hill of sand, trying to catch up to him. This was a big mistake.

She tripped over her own feet and landed face first in sand.

Her angry shriek echoed in the practically empty desert. Sakura pushed herself onto her knees and pounded the sand with her fists.

"**Cha! Show the stupid sand who's tough!" **Shouted Inner Sakura fiercely.

"_Hell yeah!" _Sakura agreed. It was much better to take out all her frustrations on sand, which couldn't exactly defend itself.

"Um, Sakura?" Kakashi's voice broke got through to her. She froze and realized how stupid she must look.

"Say a word and I'll kill you." She growled.

"I'm not saying anything," Said the jonin lightly. He began chuckling at the sight before him. He never imagined he would see his former student covered in sand from head to toe. His chuckling soon became rather loud laughter.

"Shut it!" She yelled, attempting to punch the man on the arm. Kakashi, luckily, had fast reflexes and managed to step away from the fuming kunoichi in time.

"**Kill him!"**

"_I would if I could!"_

_&&&&&&&&&_

Sakura stood in front on a huge gate, the entrance to Sunagakure no Sato. It towered over their heads, casting a shadow that provided much needed shade from the sun. She could even feel a slight wind blowing. Sakura felt ready to fall asleep right there and then but a glance at the gates reminded her of the reason she was there.

"Are you coming in with me?" Asked Sakura. She directed her question to her 'former' sensei.

Kakashi shook his head. "Tsunade told me to come back right away." His only visible eye twinkled mischievously. "I think she wants to assign a new genin team to me."

"She better not!"

Kakashi laughed. "I'm sure she won't."

There was silence for a few seconds as Sakura looked at the gates glumly.

"Well, good bye, Sakura. See you in a few months!" Said Kakashi, suddenly breaking the silence.

He waved before turning around and speeding off, crossing the desert with amazing speed. Much faster than he had gone with her, Sakura realized with indignation. She watched until he disappeared over a sand dune before turning back to the gates.

She moved to touch one but was stopped by a voice from above. Looking up, she vaguely saw a sand nin on the wall.

"State your name and business!"

Slightly miffed at the delay, Sakura replied, "I am Haruno Sakura, the medic nin from Konoha."

She watched as the man shuffled around above and took out some papers. They probably contained information on the people expected to arrive. He glanced at her and looked back at the paper. He did this several times before Sakura finally lost her temper.

Shaking her fist at him, she shouted, "How many people with pink hair do you have on those damn papers!" Inner Sakura was coming out again.

The man jumped, startled. Some ninja he was…

Glancing down at her, he caught the angry look on her face and the glint in her eyes. It was a choice between letting her in and having her climb up the wall in order to strangle him. Not willing to haggle with his life, the man opened the gates and gave the fuming kunoichi entrance.

"**Finally,"** Said Inner Sakura. **"I wanted to strangle that idiot."**

"_So did I. But now our mission truly begins."_

Sakura strode in and caught sight of three people a few feet away.

The young woman wore her hair in four ponytails and carried a rather big fan on her back. The man on her right had paint on his face and wore all black. As her gaze fell on the last person, her heart seemed to stop.

He had red hair and a tattoo of the kanji 'love' on his forehead. It was Sabaku no Gaara. His green eyes seemed to flicker in recognition as they met hers.

Then she heard him say, "Welcome to Sunagakure no Sato. I hope you'll find your stay here enjoyable."

It was irony.

Who would expect to hear those seemingly hospitable words coming out of his mouth?

How did Tsunade expect her to spend almost a year in the same house as the man who killed without hesitation?

Fate had forced them to meet after she had wished never to see him again after the chunnin exams.

Damn, she was starting to sound like Hyuga Neji.

* * *

_A/N2: Okay...so I lied. Gaara didn't really make an appearance in this chapter except for those few words at the end. But, I promise he will appear more in the next chapter. Remember to review!_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Here's the 4th chapter! I took long to update cause I had writer's block. But in the end, this chapter turned out to be the longest of them all! Remember to review..._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters._

_Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will she survive long enough to complete her task?__

* * *

_

_**Up Close and Personal**_

_Chapter 4_

Temari eyed the newly arrived kunoichi with interest, trying to estimate how long she would last in the desert. Hmm…Probably not long. Her musings were interrupted by Gaara's voice.

"Welcome to Sunagakure no Sato. I hope you find your stay enjoyable."

She mentally rolled her eyes and watched with amusement as the girl's eyes widened in disbelief. There was a rather long moment of silence as they stared at each other. Just as Temari thought she was going to die of heat, her brother spoke again.

"Well, are you going to stand there all day!" He barked, startling the girl. Turning away, he said, "Temari, Kankuro, get her settled in."

And with those oh so welcoming words, he was gone faster than they could blink. Temari sighed and rubbed her temples with her thumb and forefinger.

"Um, I'm sorry," Said the girl weakly.

There's no reason to be sorry." Said Kankuro lightly. "Gaara's always pissed."

This made her chuckle softly. She grabbed her bag and approached them, apparently having recovered from Gaara's lovely reception. "So, where will I be staying?"

"In our house," Replied Temari. Seeing her slightly fearful expression, she said, "Don't worry; all the doors have locks and the house is pretty big."

They began walking, making their way through the dusty streets, stepping around people sitting on the sidewalk. Sakura looked around, taking in the sights with her sparkling green eyes. She had never seen such a peculiar village before.

The moderately sized houses where the villagers lived in were made of a sand-like material that seemed to hold against the howling winds that blew in the night. She spotted several villagers looking at them from their doorways and windows, observing with curiosity.

"What's your name?" Asked Temari.

"I'm Haruno Sakura."

"That name sounds familiar," Remarked Kankuro.

He thought for a few seconds until he finally got it. "You were one of the participants in the Chunnin Exams when Sound and…um, Sand attacked."

"Yeah, that's right." Said Sakura. "Temari fought Tenten in the prelims."

Temari got uncomfortable as she realized that the girl she had given a beating was Sakura's friend. It was funny how she was thinking about it now when she had cared nothing back then.

"Well, we can't let stuff like that get in the way," Said Temari, effectively ridding them of the chance to discuss the war.

Sakura glanced at her but said nothing. She recalled what Kakashi has said. It really was better to not dwell on past mistakes. Temari obviously didn't want to think about her village's mistake.

After a few more minutes of walking, they stopped in front of a two floor house. They approached it and entered. The inside was cool, very different from the almost stifling air outside. Kankuro left them, saying something about going to look for Gaara. But both girls knew he was just ditching.

Temari led Sakura up some stairs and through several corridors. Apparently, the house was bigger than it seemed from the outside. Finally, she stopped in front of an ordinary looking door.

She went to open it only to find it locked.

"Damn!" She cursed softly under her breath. Temari began fishing around her pockets. She unearthed a weird looking necklace. "So that's where it was!"

This sent Sakura into a bout of silent giggles.

Then she found the key. It was small and silver with intricate carvings on it. She handed it to Sakura and let her have the honor of entering her room first.

Sakura opened the door easily and stepped inside. She froze on the doorstep. The room was beautiful. It was about the size of her apartment. She turned to look at Temari. "This is way too much for me." She said modestly.

The sand nin scoffed. "Would you rather live in a tiny room for six months?"

Sakura wrinkled her nose. "I thought not." Temari smiled and began walking away. "I'll let you get settled in. Once you're finished, meet me downstairs."

And with that, Sakura was left alone.

She peered out and looked both ways in the hallway. She spotted a door at the end but disregarded it for now. She would snoop later.

She closed the door slowly and turned. Resisting a childish squeal of excitement and the urge to jump on the fluffy looking bed, she walked further into her room, practically dragging her bag behind her.

"I think I could get used to this place," Commented Sakura to herself. She smiled ad proceeded to put everything of hers in place, trying to make the room look as nice as possible.

By the time she finished, it was already dark outside. Sakura took a hurried shower in the huge bathroom she had found beyond one of the doors. She exited her room, wearing a thin cotton shirt and black shorts.

Her stomach growled loudly. Sakura winced and looked both ways, thinking about what Temari had said. Now, if only she could make her way downstairs…

She turned a corner, retracing her footsteps and found herself face to face with the Kazekage himself. Cold green eyes stared into her own. "What are doing?" He asked.

"Um, I was trying to find my way downstairs," Sakura replied.

"**Rude jerk!" **Said Inner Sakura. **"Can't he be nicer?"**

He sighed and turned, motioning for her to follow him. She looked at him, a confused look on her face.

"I'll take you there." He said, answering her unspoken question. "Temari had sent me to get you anyways."

Sakura brushed back a strand of pink hair and smiled, looking at his back as he walked away. Even though his first impression hadn't been so good, he was doing better.

"Are you coming or not! I won't care if you starve!"

Or maybe he still had to work some things out.

&&&&&&&&&&

Gaara trudged up the stairs, annoyed at his sister. Did she think he was her maid or something? They had servants to go fetch things and do stuff. But Temari preferred to use her younger brother, the Kazekage, as her messenger.

Why did he allow her to?

Ah yes…She was his sister and he felt some sort of obligation to her. Maybe it was the same with all siblings.

Hmm… Nah.

He didn't listen to Kankuro at all.

He turned a corner and had to stop quickly to avoid crashing into a certain pink haired girl. He looked at her coldly. After all, he had appearances to keep up.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Um, I was trying to find my way downstairs," She replied.

He sighed and turned, motioning for her to follow him. He sensed her confusion.

"I'll take you there." Gaara said, answering her unspoken question. "Temari had sent me to get you anyways."

He continued walking, expecting her to follow. He glanced back and found her still standing at the same spot, an idiotic smile on her face.

"Are you coming or not! I won't care if you starve!" He barked.

A smirk made its way onto his face as he saw her jump in surprise. Sakura hurried to his side.

"Sorry," She mumbled.

Gaara rolled his eyes. She was so predictable.

Together, they walked down the stairs and towards the delicious aroma of food that was filling the house.

Dinner was going to be interesting.

* * *

_A/N2: Well, Gaara did make more of an appearance in this one. He'll definitely appear/speak more as the story progresses. Leave a review!_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I'm so glad that my story is going so well! _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters._

_Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will she survive long enough to complete her task?_

* * *

_Chapter 5_

Sakura sat at the dinner table, staring down at her food. The others were eating, content with the silence. But the pink haired kunoichi couldn't stand the silence. She had endured it for years and she wasn't about to start getting used to it again.

It also didn't help that she ate with Naruto, Konoha's loudmouth, almost every day.

"So..." She began, tapping on the table lightly. "Where will I be teaching?"

"Hmm?" Temari looked up from her food, a confused look on her face. "Teach?"

"She came here to teach our medics," Said Gaara. "Since they don't really know what they're doing."

Kankuro snorted. "They couldn't heal a cut. I almost bled to death that day waiting for one of them to find the right scroll."

Temari rolled her eyes. "Couldn't you have healed it yourself?"

The puppeteer had no answer. He just resumed eating as though the conversation had never happened.

"I think you'll have to teach him also." Whispered Temari to Sakura, her green eyes sparkling. She was clearly teasing her brother and enjoying it.

Sakura grinned. Maybe she could get to know the sand nin better. She was obviously more carefree than she let on. She decided to join in.

"What about you-" She hesitated. She had no idea what to call him. "-Kazekage-sama? Do you need to be taught too?"

Gaara stood up suddenly, the wooden chair he had been sitting on making a horrible screeching sound as it scrapped back on the floor. "I have no need for such skills." He said coldly. "Or have you forgotten already?"

With those dark words, he spun around and left, leaving a half full plate of food behind. A thick silence filled the room. Temari coughed and proceeded to clean up her plate and Gaara's. "I'm finished." She mumbled, more to herself than anyone else.

Sakura stared at the spot where he had been sitting with wide eyes. What had she—

"_I have no need for such skills. Or have you forgotten already?"_

She cringed inwardly. How could she have been so careless? She had just reminded him of the very thing that he probably tried to forget.

She had reminded him that he wasn't like the rest of them.

Sakura stood up and handed her plate to Temari, who took it without comment. She wanted to find him and apologize even if he might turn her away.

&&&&&&&

Gaara stomped out of the dining room and resisted the urge to slam the door like a child. He didn't know why he had lashed out at her like that. But she had just seemed to be asking for it, with her smile and sparkling eyes.

All it had taken her was one innocent question for him to lose it.

He sighed and stopped in his tracks, leaning against the wall. He ran a hand through his hair, fingers stopping briefly on the blood red kanji engraved on his forehead.

He straightened and made his way upstairs. He opened a window and stealthily climbed out and onto the roof. He sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.

Maybe the fresh air would calm him.

&&&&&&&

Sakura turned another corner and sighed dejectedly. It was just another empty corridor. She had been searching for the Kazekage for the past ten minutes or so and still no results. She silently berated herself.

Did she really expect less from the Kazekage? If he didn't want to be found, he simply wouldn't be found.

She continued walking and passed by an open window. A ray of moonlight streamed in, lighting up part of the corridor. She could see particles gently moving in it.

She admired the sight before continuing on her way. Then she realized something. Why would there be an open window in the Kazekage's house? Anyone could get in.

Aha! Maybe he was on the roof? An odd place to be but it was possible. Sakura climbed out and onto the roof with difficulty. That is what working in a hospital all summer did to you; your basic skills got rusty.

She was surprised by the sight that met her eyes. Gaara sat cross-legged with his face upturned towards the moon, his eyes closed. He was outlined by the white light of the moon, looking surreal.

Sakura sighed inwardly and made her way back inside, leaving the window in the position it was. She didn't want to disturb him; he looked too peaceful.

Tomorrow would be another day and things would probably be resolved by then. Or so she hoped.

"**That's unlikely."** Said Inner Sakura. **"He seems to be as stubborn as you."**

"_Thank you for the encouragement."_

"**You're very welcome!"**

The kunoichi trudged to her room and slipped inside, into the darkness, not bothering to turn off the lights. She threw herself onto the bed, stifling a giggle as it bounced up and down several times.

She sighed for the nth time that night and glanced out the window. She could see the desert in the distance. Konoha was somewhere beyond that sea.

Only 179 more days to go.

&&&&&&&

Haruno Sakura was not very pretty in the morning. Especially if she was woken up at an ungodly hour before the sun was even out.

Her eyes fluttered open and she found herself staring into a pair of green ones. For a split second she thought, with horror, that it was the Kazekage himself. But the person's face came into focus and she realized it was Temari, dressed in her purple outfit, hair looking impeccable. Sakura pulled the covers up higher, feeling embarrassed by the state she was in.

"Ohayo," She mumbled, stifling a yawn.

Temari smiled. "Ohayo! Breakfast is ready so you can come eat when you're dressed."

"**How can she be so cheerful this early in the day!"** Said Inner Sakura, awakening from her own slumber. (If she even slept…)

"_I really have no idea…But I think it's contagious."_

"I'll be down in a few minutes." Said Sakura. A small smile appeared on her face in place of the usual morning frown.

Temari nodded and left, probably going to wake Kankuro or something.

Sakura stretched and got out of bed, a shiver running through her as her feet came into contact with the floor. She trudged into the bathroom and glanced in the mirror. It was not a pretty sight.

The kunoichi quickly washed herself. She rushed back to her room and pulled out her clothes: a pale pink shirt and black pants. After getting basically dressed, she exited the room, running a comb through her hair, trying to make it flat.

She made her way downstairs and entered the dining room. She was surprised to see Gaara sitting at the table, calmly chewing on a piece of toast.

Temari was no where in sight.

"**She left us alone with Sand Boy!" **Shrieked Inner Sakura.

"_We'll be fine."_ Said Sakura, trying to feel as confident as she sounded. _"I doubt he'll kill us this early."_

Inner Sakura scoffed before falling silent.

Sakura approached him and sat down. Just as she was bringing a piece of toast towards her plate, he spoke, causing her to drop the bread into her water.

"I'll be taking you to the building designated to the medics." Said Gaara. He was trying to hide his amusement as he watched Sakura fish her toast out of her water. She dropped on her plate with a disgusted look. Soggy toast was not her idea of breakfast.

Suddenly, the meaning of his words sunk in. "Now?" She looked up in dismay.

"Yes." He replied shortly, standing up.

Her eyes widened.

"**The bastard! He's doing this on purpose!" **

She shoved a piece of toast in her mouth and gulped it down with water. Throwing her napkin onto the table, she sped out of the room, going after Gaara. He had left the kitchen before she could blink.

Following her instincts, she found him waiting outside the house, leaning against the wall with a bored look on his face. He spotted her and began walking.

Sakura frowned and followed him. His communication skills needed improvement. It was a wonder his siblings understood him. The only reason she understood was because of the time she had spent as Sasuke's teammate.

_Sasuke…_

She shook her head furiously, tossing the name away. She wasn't going to think about him now and ruin her day. She had long since moved on.

She frowned and quickened her pace, catching up to Gaara.

"So, this place…will it be all mine to use to teach and stuff?" She asked.

"Yes," He replied. "Adjust it to your liking. You start teaching in three days."

Hmm…a little too soon for her liking but it would have to do.

"I'll be reporting your progress to your Hokage."

"Sure, whatever,"

Gaara glanced sharply at her. She was insolent. She had obviously forgotten she was speaking to the Kazekage. Wait, why did he care?

He felt a weird feeling in his stomach as she walked ahead and almost shrieked when she saw the size of the building.

"This is almost bigger than Konoha's hospital! I'll have so much work space!" She said happily, practically jumping up and down in her excitement.

"I leave you now." Said Gaara.

She looked at him, smiling brightly. "Sure! See you for lunch or something!"

Waving, she sprinted to the building and went inside. She sure didn't waste any time getting started.

He stood there for a second. _See her for lunch? Stupid girl._

Gaara disappeared in a whirlwind of sand.

* * *

_A/N2: Well, Gaara spoke appeared more and he's as cold towards others as ever... Remember to review! _


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: I've had major writer's block so that explains the delay. I'm also typing up my friend's story because she got in trouble. I have tests coming up so I might not have time to write. It's a busy month. Just bear with me and don't forget to leave a review! _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters._

_Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will she survive long enough to complete her task?__

* * *

Chapter 6_

**Two weeks later—165 days left…**

Sakura sighed and glanced out a window, gazing with longing at the slow moving clouds outside. She was getting tired of sitting in a chair for endless hours. She could swear her backside was getting numb!

The pink haired kunoichi tore her gaze away from the window and analyzed the medic nin assembled before her. They each had intense looks on their faces, studying the books before them. They were researching, trying to learn more about the human body.

She had told them they had to learn the body parts, their functions, and other similar things before she would start teaching them more advanced jutsu. Thankfully, the group knew how to control their chakra really well and could accomplish simple healing jutsu.

Sakura remembered with a grimace the day she had walked into the building. It had been in chaos. Most of the medics had been dozing while others played games.

To put it simple, these people had been of no help to Suna so they had been rotting away.

That was how it had been until Sakura had taken control.

They had taken to calling her sensei after the first day.

Sakura sensed a presence standing at her desk and emerged from her thoughts. A young girl with dark red hair stood in front of the desk, fidgeting. "Yes, Aiko?"

"Um, it's time for us to go home, sensei," Said the girl.

Sakura glanced at the clock. Wow, time did fly by when you were too busy to notice.

She smiled at the girl and said, "Tell the others to pick up and then head on home. We'll meet here again two days from now. Just research at home."

Aiko nodded. "I'll tell them. See you later!" She waved and walked away, eager to tell her friends about the unexpected break.

Sakura watched as they cleaned up and left, telling her to have a good weekend. They almost reminded her of her class back in Konoha, the only difference being that these people actually knew a bit about what they were doing.

She sighed and stood up, stretching her arms above her head. She grabbed the keys to the building and made her way to the entrance, turning off lights as she went.

Stopping at the doors, Sakura glanced behind her to make sure she hadn't missed any lights. The darkness loomed, butterflies appeared in her stomach. She quickly turned back to face the door, trying to get her heart to slow down. She hated the dark like that. Her imagination always got the better of her.

Suddenly, she felt a blast of air hit the back of her neck. Reflexively, she whipped out a kunai and turned round. She found herself face to face with the Kazekage, her kunai inches away from his throat.

"Aggressive, aren't we?" Remarked Gaara.

"I'm sorry, Kazekage-sama," Said Sakura. She stepped away and slid the kunai into the holster on her thigh. "My imagination…" She trailed off, too embarrassed to say anything more.

"Were you scared?" He asked, closing the distance between them.

Sakura's cheeks turned red at their proximity. "No…not really,"

"Your voice faltered." Gaara raised a hand and placed it gently on her cheek. If she could've turned any redder, she would have.

He moved closer…

Sakura literally felt her heart stop.

His lips were inches away from hers when there was a loud 'poof' and the area filled with smoke. It was the effects of a _Henge no Jutsu _being released.

She found herself staring into the amused, painted face of Kankuro. An equally amused Temari stood next to him.

The kunoichi went blind with rage. She was about to strangle the puppeteer when Temari jumped in to hold her back.

"Let me at him!" Yelled Sakura. "He deserves pain!"

"It was a joke, Sakura!" Said Temari. Her laughter, however, didn't make things better.

She stopped struggling against Temari's hold and crossed her arms, facing away from the both of them, a frown on her face. "It wasn't funny. I swear I thought it was your brother."

"We're sorry, Sakura." Said Kankuro. "But we couldn't help it."

Sakura let out a huff, her frown deepening. "Can I ask why you were here?"

"We came to get you so we could take you to a hot spring and to dinner after." Replied Temari. She placed an arm around Sakura's shoulders. "Will you come?"

There was silence as she thought. With a sigh, Sakura admitted defeat and forgave the two sand nin. "I'll go."

"Good." Temari began walking out, dragging Sakura with her. Kankuro closed up the building and followed them.

"Go ahead to the spring, Kankuro." Said Temari. "I'll take Sakura to the house and meet up with you there."

The two siblings exchanged a look before heading separate ways. Sakura saw it all.

"Can I trust you two?"

The other girl laughed. "Of course!"

For some reason, Sakura couldn't shake off the feeling that Temari and Kankuro were planning something and that this trip to the onsen was all part of it.

&&&&&&&&&

Sakura slipped into the water with a sigh. Night had already fallen. The area was lit with small torches, the fire casting shadows on the floor. She heard the sound of a sliding door and looked up. Temari was walking towards the hot spring, clad in only a towel. The two girls exchanged a smile.

The sand nin walked into the water and sighed contently. "Isn't this nice?" Asked Temari.

"Yes," Sakura replied. "I assume it's not very common to have hot springs in the middle of the desert."

"Nope, and it sucks."

They both laughed. A comfortable silence fell over them as they relaxed in the warm water.

After about half an hour, the girls got out and changed into comfortable clothes. They were going to eat dinner with Kankuro, who had also been in the hot springs but in another section.

They walked into a private room in the onsen inn and were surprised by the table set with food. It all looked so delicious! Sakura sat down on one side, Temari across from her. After saying 'Itadakimasu' both girls began eating. Half way through the meal, the door opened and in walked Kankuro. His hair was damp, and his face was devoid of paint.

Sakura froze, her chopsticks stopped in the air. He looked so different…less intimidating too.

"You're late, Kankuro," Said Temari, playfully throwing a roll of bread at him. He easily caught it and took a bite, grinning.

"I had to drag a certain someone here." He replied. "It wasn't easy."

He walked further into the room, revealing the person who had been standing behind him. It was Gaara. He had a frown on his face, his eyes narrowed in annoyance, though he did look less menacing than usual, too. His hair was also damp, stray strands sticking to his forehead, giving him an innocent look.

He stomped to the table and sat down, pushing away his plate. "I'm not hungry,"

Temari rolled her eyes, obviously used to this behavior from her brother. She was reaching for some onigiri when she seemed to remember something. Catching Kankuro's eye, she stood up, wiping her hands on a napkin.

"I just remembered that I have an important meeting with a shinobi from Konoha tomorrow." She began. "I still haven't prepared the documents he needs to take back to Tsunade-sama. Sorry to have to leave so early."

Temari grinned nervously before walking hurriedly to the door, pausing briefly to motion for Kankuro to follow her. The puppeteer nodded and caught up to her. Just as Sakura was about to protest, the door closed with a loud slam. The sound of their footsteps died away, leaving the room in an uncomfortable silence.

The kunoichi sighed and glanced at Gaara. He was staring at the wall, his face betraying no emotion. She stared at him, willing him to speak. Her wishes were not granted. The young Kazekage continued gazing at the wall.

"Can you say something already!" Her words echoed in the silent room. A slight blush rose to her cheeks.

His cold eyes strayed to her. "What do you want me to say?" Asked Gaara. He turned to face her. "Can't you stand a little silence? Or is it that you need attention?"

Her eyes narrowed. "It isn't nice to ignore others so obviously, _Kazekage-sama_."

"Why should I care what you think?" He stood up and began making his way to the door.

"Because a little constructive criticism might make you a better person, or Kazekage."

He stopped on the threshold to look back at her. His eyes held some emotion but she couldn't identify it. He spoke.

"You're annoying."

Sakura flinched unwillingly. His words cut deep. She felt tears pool in her eyes, but she held them back. She would not cry in front of him.

Who had she heard say those same words to her? They were the same words which had torn her heart into little pieces. It was irony to hear them coming from Gaara.

The closing of the door seemed to echo in her mind. He had turned his back on her when she was hurt…just like what Sasuke had done. Her vision blurred and she felt hot tears run down her cheeks. Why was he the first person to make her cry in so many years?

Angry with herself, Sakura wiped away the tears and stood up. She marched out of the room and outside. The place was deserted and silent, except for the soft music and laughter coming from another occupied room.

"_I don't think Temari and Kankuro expected this to happen."_

"**What else did they expect?" **Said Inner Sakura. **"For him to fall in love with you? Hell will freeze over when that happens." **

"_I completely agree with you. I could never love such an emotionless person."_

She was contradicting herself. Memories replayed in her head.

How she had tried so hard to impress the Uchiha prodigy. The same person who had been known as the human ice cube, no emotions whatsoever. That word probably hadn't even been part of his vocabulary.

She sighed and glanced up at the sky, the bright round moon catching her eye.

"_I'll show him."_ She thought fiercely. _"He'll have to acknowledge how good a shinobi I am by the time I have to leave, or I'll stop being a ninja." _

"**That's risky, isn't it?" **

"_This is one thing I won't mess up." _

Sakura made her way to her temporary home, content with her promise. Oh, he would learn.


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Here's the next chapter! My reviews went down by 2. I expected more for this chapter. But...all's well! Remember to review for this one!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters._

_Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will she survive long enough to complete her task?_

* * *

_Chapter 7_

Sakura woke the next morning, surprised to see how late it was. She got up, stifling a yawn, and shuffled to the bathroom. After washing, she dressed in a pale green shirt and black skirt. Slipping her feet into the typical shinobi shoes, she left the room. She stopped in the hallway and glanced curiously at the door at the end. She had been living in the house for two weeks and she still hadn't snooped.

Grinning slightly, she made her way toward the door. She reached for the knob, turning it easily. The door swung open and she peered inside. It was a rather classy room with a bed bigger than hers. But it was empty. She was about to step inside when she found her way blocked by a wall of sand.

"What do you think you're doing?" The cold voice came from right behind her. Sakura turned, glaring. "I was going into the room." She replied coolly.

"Did it ever occur to you that it was somebody's room?" Gaara was not pleased. The wench was going to nose around in _his_ room!

Sakura ground her teeth to stop herself from lashing out at him. She had to remind herself that this was the _Kazekage_.

"Well, I'm sorry for _thinking_ about walking into your room." That one sentence took so much effort to say.

She pushed past him, their shoulders brushing. She walked downstairs without a backward glance, although she knew he had been staring after her. When she entered the kitchen, she found Kankuro sitting at the table, staring into space, holding a cup of water. He had his paint back on, though Sakura had saved the image of him without it.

He looked up at her as she sat down across from him and smiled. "It's nice to see you up."

Sakura smiled back and nodded. "I'm tired. I couldn't sleep." This was true. She had tossed and turned in bed, Gaara's words repeating in her mind.

"So, where's Temari?" She asked.

"She's going to meet with that shinobi from Konoha." Replied Kankuro.

She stood. "I'm going to go see her." And with those words she left.

"_I don't think it went well last night." _Thought Kankuro. He stood and left.

&&&&&&&

Sakura strolled through the streets of Sunagakure, deep in thought. Why exactly was she going to see Temari?

Ah, yes…She was looking for someone who could understand what had happened last night. After all, who was better than the sister of her problem?

That and she was curious as to who the shinobi from Konoha was.

She picked up the pace, becoming a blur. She reached the Kazekage's offices in a few minutes. It seemed as though Temari and Kankuro went more to the offices than the Kazekage himself. There were several sand shinobi going around with piles of paperwork, many of which were treaty requests from other villages.

She navigated around the people and found the meeting room. She knocked and heard a faint 'come in'. Sakura opened the door and quickly spotted Temari. She was sitting in a chair at the end of a long table. A man sat next to her, head bent over some papers.

Sunlight streamed into the room from several windows which took up the whole back wall. Squinting from the light, she made it to her. "Hello, Sakura." Said Temari. She smiled at the girl and motioned for her to sit.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to listen in on the meeting?" Asked Sakura.

"There's no problem."

Just then the man looked up. It was Nara Shikamaru, Konoha's genius.

"Shikamaru?" Sakura was surprised. She didn't expect it to be someone she knew well.

"Well, look who it is," Said Shikamaru. "It's Sakura."

A smile appeared on her face. "How's everything in Konoha?"

"Everything's fine." Replied the shinobi. "I think Naruto has realized how Hinata feels for him."

"Really!" Exclaimed Sakura. "How cute! It's about time that baka opened his eyes!"

Shikamaru laughed. "I'll make sure to tell him that when I get back."

Suddenly, Temari spoke up. "Anyone want to go for lunch?"

They agreed and left the building. As they made their way to a near by ramen stand, Sakura grabbed Temari by the arm and pulled her back, letting Shikamaru walk ahead. Grinning mischievously, Sakura whispered, "Do you like him?"

The sand nin turned red and looked at him. "No." She replied flatly. The pink haired kunoichi raised an eyebrow. "You've probably spent a lot of time with him since he's the shinobi who always travels between the villages."

"I thought you were surprised to see him!" Hissed Temari.

"I was surprised to see how you were looking at him when I walked in." Sakura said, her grin widening at the look on Temari's face.

"I should know how a girl looks at the guy she likes by now." Sakura explained with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Hinata's one of my closest friends and she's liked Naruto for the longest time."

Temari sighed and glanced at the shadow ninja. "He's just so dense." She whispered.

"All guys are like that." Said Sakura. "I just wouldn't expect that of Shikamaru, the smartest ninja I know."

Sakura must have said his name a little too loud because Shikamaru shot them a questioning glance. The kunoichi just smiled and waved at him, causing further confusion. "Troublesome women…" He muttered, making Sakura giggle.

"He'll figure it out sooner or later." Whispered Sakura to Temari. The girl sighed, a frown upon her lips. "When does he leave?"

"He leaves tomorrow. I'll be leaving for Konoha in two weeks." Responded Temari.

"Take your time in Konoha. Spend some time with him or something." She smiled encouragingly at the ninja. "Show him you care without losing your dignity."

It was funny how she was giving another advice on how to win the attention of a guy. She didn't seem like the type of person to do that. Maybe she once had been but that was the past and she didn't think too much about the past.

"Oi, can you two walk faster!" The shout from Shikamaru startled them both. They separated and looked up. He had already reached the ramen stand, apparently having been walking faster than them. They reached him and Sakura saw the glances they exchanged, a slight blush rising to their cheeks.

"I just remembered that I forgot some important scrolls at the hospital." Said Sakura. "I'm afraid I'll have to leave without lunch." She smiled. "I hope you two don't mind eating with each other."

"Um, no, not at all." Said Shikamaru.

Giving Temari a small shove as she walked out, Sakura silently told her to make the most of the moment. The sand nin nodded and grinned. She turned back to Shikamaru and sat down, looking up at the menu.

Sakura walked away and after a few minutes, realized she had no destination. She decided to head back to the house instead of wandering aimlessly around the village.

&&&&&&&

Sakura entered the dark and quiet house. The kitchen was empty, signaling Kankuro had left quite a while ago. She couldn't sense Gaara's chakra and assumed he had also left. She made her way up the stairs, heading to her room. She wanted to lie down and sleep, hoping that would get rid of the pounding headache that had formed on her walk home.

As she turned the corner, entering the hallway where her door was, she caught sight of Gaara's door at the end. It was open, practically beckoning her towards it.

She could only see darkness through the small opening. An image formed in her mind. She saw the room all dungeon like, complete with shackles hanging off the walls and a tiny window that let only a small amount of light in. She shook her head. She wanted to doubt that the Kazekage's room looked like that.

"**I doubt he'll forgive you for intruding this time." **Commented Inner Sakura.

"_I can't help it!"_

"**It's your funeral." **Said her inner self, retreating to the depths of her mind.

Taking a deep breath, the kunoichi began walking towards the door. She reached it and hesitated, her hand resting on the knob. She pushed it open all the way and stepped inside. There was a window, which currently had curtains pulled over it. The bed she had caught sight of before was still there, its covers a dark green.

The door snapped shut behind her, engulfing the room in darkness. Sakura let out a small shriek as Gaara appeared before her. His green eyes were dark and he looked angry.

"What are you doing in here?" His voice was low and menacing.

"Um, I thought I s-saw s-someone in here…" Sakura internally cursed her stutter.

His sand shot out of the darkness and slammed her against the wall. A sharp pain spread up her spine. Her breaths came in gasps. Gaara walked up to her and, placing his mouth to her ear, whispered, "Never come into my room without my permission again. _Never_."

Sakura tried to clear her mind, a loud pounding echoing in it. She glared at him, trying to ignore the pain in her body. He stepped back, the sand retreating with him. She saw him clearly in the darkness now. He was shirtless, dressed only in black pants.

Her gaze traveled over his body unwillingly. A blush rose to her cheeks and she averted her eyes.

"Are you hurt?" His voice surprised her. It seemed to be full of something...remorse, maybe?

"No, I'm perfectly fine." She replied, sarcasm seeping into her voice. "I felt nothing when the sand _slammed_ me into the wall."

She whirled around and left the room. She stomped to hers and walked inside, making sure to slam the door. Only once she was hidden away did she let a sob escape her. Tears welled in her eyes as her body completely registered the damage, pain everywhere.

Sakura stepped into the bathroom and undressed. She glanced into the mirror, assessing her injuries. A large bruise was forming right in the center of her back. Gritting her teeth, Sakura reached back and pressed her hands into it. A soft pink glow enveloped her hands. The bruise began to fade away, taking with it the pain.

If that sand had more speed and power, it could've caused serious damage. The least she got was a huge bruise, caused by the jar her spinal column took from being slammed into the wall.

She dressed in a big shirt, one she used to sleep in. Sakura crawled into bed and buried her face in the pillow. She let out a scream, one that was filled with all the anger and confusion she held in her.

After some time, she drifted into sleep.

&&&&&&&

Gaara punched his wall, furious with himself. He had seen the pain in her eyes, heard the sarcasm and hurt in her voice. He had heard a loud noise when her back slammed into the wall. But he doubted she was seriously injured. Or was she? She seemed to be fairly good at hiding her true feelings.

Why did he have to lose it like that when ever she was around?

She had just walked into his room. No big deal…

So, she disobeyed him and trespassed again? He could've just warned her like before.

But his anger had been looking for someone to be taken out on and she had been the innocent.

His meeting with the council officials hadn't gone well. Things were getting disturbing with other neighboring villages. Iwagakure no Sato, the Hidden Rock Village, had sent another messenger with the same offer.

"Give us the monthly money and we leave your village alone. Ignore us and pay the price." They were idiots. Didn't they know he had faced Akatsuki and survived? But there was something about them that made him keep his guard up. They were unpredictable; Gaara didn't like unpredictable people.

He sunk onto his bed and held his face in his hands. There was an unsettling feeling in his stomach. Things were going to get ugly and soon.

He only hoped Temari was ready to handle the village if he was unable to for some reason…


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. I'm so happy with my reviewers! The amount of reviews went up to normal. With that aside, p__lease excuse the lameness of this chapter. It's the result of writing after sitting in a room for 4 hours straight testing. But tests are over now so I'm extra happy. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters._

_Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will she survive long enough to complete her task?_

* * *

_Chapter 8_

**Three weeks later—144 days left…**

Temari was worried. She knew all about the threats from Iwagakure and how it was keeping her younger brother on edge. Those threats were directed at the people of the village, threatening their safety. Her brother just couldn't stand that.

Her gaze drifted from the piles of papers in front of her to the slouched form of Gaara. He was reading another treaty request, an intent look on his face. His scoffed and crumbled the paper, throwing it over his shoulder.

"Can they get any stupider?" He commented.

"Apparently, they can." She replied. "You should read the one from the Country of Grass."

"If I do, I might get sick."

A grin appeared on Temari's face. Her brother's sense of humor never ceased to amaze her. One minute he was scowling, the other he was making fun of something, all without a single facial expression.

He glanced at over the pile of documents and sighed. "Do we have to read more?"

Just as she was about to reply, the door to their conference room burst open.

Several panting shinobi led by Kankuro ran in.

"There are Iwagakure ninja rapidly making their way towards the village! They come in attack!" Shouted the puppeteer.

"Are you positive, Kankuro?" Snapped Gaara.

"Positive. I confirmed it myself after the lookouts told me."

Gaara's eyes darkened as he picked up his sand gourd. "Temari, you watch over the village for now. Kankuro, lead the shinobi into battle. If I tell you to retreat, you retreat."

A chorus of "Hai!" ran out in the room. Kankuro sped away, a mere blur, followed by the group of ninja.

Temari was about to leave when Gaara's voice stopped her. "Get Haruno and keep her close. She's to heal who ever is injured."

"Hai!" The sand nin sped away. _Please be careful, Gaara…_

_&&&&&&&&&&_

Sakura was sitting in her usual chair at the front of the room, observing as her class attempted a medicinal jutsu used in battle. It could cut the tendons in a muscle and render a body part of the enemy useless. They were pretty good for first timers.

Just as she was about to start reading a rather interesting book, a flustered Temari burst in.

"Dismiss your class and come with me!"

The unexpected command startled the kunoichi. The class froze and looked nervously between their pink haired teacher and the sister of their Kazekage. Sakura emerged from her sudden shock and firmly nodded.

"Aiko, I want you to take the others and prepare the emergency rooms. Make sure every single seal is correct. Keep them practicing the jutsu and keep a lookout."

"H-hai, sensei!" The girl turned around and began gathering up her classmates.

Sakura threw on her black jacket and sped out with Temari. "It's an attack on Suna?"

The other girl nodded. "Gaara's given me orders to keep you with me in case someone needs to be treated."

They sped through the city, heading to the Kazekage's offices. Sakura stopped suddenly. "I'm going to the battle itself."

"Don't!"

Temari's protest was a cry on deaf ears. The medic was gone before she could blink.

_&&&&&&&&&&_

Kankuro ripped off the scrolls from his back and set them on the ground. Within seconds, he had his three puppets surrounding him. With a jerk of his hand, Sanshouo set off, its tail swinging wildly. Each swing knocked at least two shinobi off their feet.

Using Kuroari he captured several shinobi. He launched Karasu into the air and watched as it separated, forming swords with its body parts. It sped back down and the swords slid neatly into Kuroari. The screams of the ninja echoed in the desert. Smirking confidently he reasembled both puppets and continued his fight.

Sand wrapped around a man and tightened.

"_Sabaku Kyu!" _Gaara's hand closed and the man was dead within seconds. He continued on his way, cutting down the numbers by many.

As he was about to initiate Dersert Coffin again, he spotted pink hair. Sighing he killed the man and sped towards the girl. Sakura stood frozen by the gates of the village. She would cringe every time someone collapsed at the hand of another.

He loomed up behind her and said, "Why are you here? I gave Temari specific orders."

Sakura turned around, masking her surprise, and responded calmly, "I thought I would be of better help here." Someone slammed into the wall; she flinched.

"Do your work and stay out of the way." He left her and caught another with Desert Coffin.

She made her way to a fallen ninja from Sand. She checked the girl and healed her grave injuries. Scratches and bruises could stay like that until after the battle.

Frowning, Sakura set to work, her hands aglow with a pink light.

The Iwagakure shinobi were relentless. The fight had moved closer to the village, making Gaara furious. He was determined to keep them away. The fight continued this way, with Sand rapidly gaining the upper hand. After a while, the enemy began to slowly retreat.

Just as Sakura was finishing healing the last injured person, she heard Kankuro shout, "Gaara!"

She spotted them and sped to where they were. Just as she arrived, Gaara left. "Where's he going?" Asked Sakura, watching the Kazekage disappear amongst the sand dunes.

"The ninja retreated and he went after them. He let his temper get the better of him." Responded Kankuro. Worry flickered across his face but was gone in seconds. He gathered up his puppets and with a poof, they were gone.

"I'm sure he'll be alright," Said Sakura, sounding more confident than she felt.

The puppeteer didn't reply. With his help, they gathered up the live sand shinobi and headed back to the village. Temari stood by the gates, gazing around at the battefield impassively. A crowd of villagers had gathered behind her, many looking worried.

"How many dead?" She asked.

"I'd say about 12. But we defeated twice as many from Iwagakure." Said Kankuro.

Suddenly, she seemed the notice the absence of her other brother. "Where's Gaara?"

Kankuro hesitated before answering. "He went after the ninja."

"By himself!"

He nodded. She punched the wall, making a dent. Her hand began to bleed but she paid no attention to it as she ranted. "He wasn't supposed to do that! He's not invicible! He could get really hurt! ARGH!" Temari was the perfect image of a worried sister, except for the fact that she was a rather strong kunoichi.

The villagers were watching the scene with wide eyes. Whispers began to spread through them. "Where's Kazekage-sama? Will he come back?"

Kankuro put an arm around Temari and guided her into the village. He told some shinobi to gather the dead and give them a proper burial before disappearing with a poof along with his sister. They obviously needed to talk about what would happen now.

This left Sakura alone, facing many anxious villagers. "What do we do now!" Shouted a random person.

"Er, just go back to your homes and do normal things." Said Sakura. "Please, don't start panicking or anything. You're all safe. The last thing Temari needs is a riot."

With a slight murmur of discontent, the villagers dispersed.

Not wanting to see the burial process, Sakura lept onto a nearby roof and made her way back to the house.

_&&&&&&&&&&_

She wasn't surprised to find the house empty when she arrived. She suspected that Kankuro and Temari were meeting with the council members. What Gaara had done was reckless. Sakura sighed and sat down in the kitchen. The kichen was partially dark, the only source of light coming from the window on the far side of the room.

For some reason, she found herself worrying about him. Ugh, she was too kind. All though he had been a jerk to her—jerk being an understatement—he was still a person who could get seriously hurt, especially if he unleashed his inner demon. Sakura lay her head down on the table and closed her eyes.

"_I hope he gets back soon…"_

"**What happened to your hatred of him?"** Asked Inner Sakura.

"_I don't know."_ Was Sakura's lame reply.

"**Do you like him now?"**

"_No!" _

"**Uh-huh, sure…"**

"_Just go away! Go bother someone else."_

"**That's not possible because I am in you."**

Sakura didn't bother replying. Sometimes having an inner you who mentioned things like that made you think too much about topics you'd rather avoid.

Did she like him? No, definitely not.

Well…he had been nicer after the whole slamming her against the wall incident, as nice as he could be without losing his pride. He hadn't called her an idiot when she tripped and fell; causing the scrolls she had had in her arms to get ruined. Suddenly, she remembered the Chunnin exam incident, when he slammed her against a tree. Had he really changed?

Maybe, he just needed someone to talk to, like Naruto had. He had told her all about his reasons for being so loud: he had wanted to be acknowledged. Gaara needed to talk more. His communication skills sucked. Once he got back, decided Sakura, she would try to get him to open up more.

"**If he gets back…" **Whispered Inner Sakura.

"_If he gets back…" _Echoed Sakura unconsciously.

* * *

_The story will be ending in a few chapters. It all depends on whether or not I can make Gaara and Sakura fall in love without rushing. (sigh) It's going to be tough. Well, if you didn't like this chapter, the next one will be better. Promise._

_Remember to review!_


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: I thought I should clear something up: Sakura has been in Suna for about 10 weeks or so by now, including this chapter. In months, she's been there about 2 and a half. So, she only has 3 and half more to go. I lost count a while back so I'm assuming. I'm just too lazy to go and make sure I'm right. And yes, I did change the summary. I felt the other one didn't really go with the story. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters._

_Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will her emotions get in the way of her completing her task? _

* * *

_Chapter 9_

**4 weeks later—116 days left…**

Sakura slid out the door of the medical room, breathing a sigh of relief as soon as she was outside. Her students had begun a debate about whether using a certain type of herb in a medicine affected how well it worked or not. It had started out innocently enough until they started to get more and more defensive. You could practically taste the hate in the air. Sakura had been suffocating and she had to leave.

The pink haired kunoichi left the hospital, which was empty except for the medic nin, her students. The streets of Suna were deserted since it was noon, the time when the sun was highest in the sky. The merchants closed up their stalls and went home to eat while the normal villagers, even workers, slept comfortably in their cool homes, out the heat.

She sighed and stopped in the shade of a house porch. She wiped the sweat off her brow and took off her blouse, staying in only her light, cotton undershirt. She sat down on the porch, sure that the sleeping villagers inside wouldn't mind. She closed her green eyes and leaned against the wall.

Her thoughts strayed to the Kazekage. He had been gone for a month almost. Temari was in his place for now but that wouldn't last long. Since he had left without consulting the council, Gaara only had a few more days until he was declared a missing nin and ANBU were sent after him.

_Stupid Gaara…_Thought Sakura idly as she felt a breeze blow by. She just wanted him to come back. Her dreams had been plagued by him practically every night. She kept on imagining him rotting away in some cellar, his pale skin marred by bruises and cuts.

She must have dozed off at some point because when she woke, the sun wasn't in the same place. The merchants had opened up their stalls again and the villagers roamed the streets. She got up and stretched. Her students must be wondering where she was but she didn't really care.

Sakura leapt onto a nearby roof and set off, heading back to the hospital. She had a feeling that an emergency room needed to be prepared. But there was no need for her to worry about preparing one. They were all ready. She just needed something to do, something to get her mind off more worrying matters.

&&&&&&&&&&

She was sitting in a chair in a waiting room, just staring at the ceiling, her head against the wall, when one of her students burst in.

"Temari-sama is looking for you. She's waiting in the lobby." The boy was breathless. It seemed he had run the entire way.

She stood up quickly and thanked the boy before disappearing, reappearing in the lobby a few seconds later. The anxious feeling in her stomach had gotten stronger and they were confirmed when she saw the desperate look on Temari's face.

The girl ran to meet her halfway across the room. "Gaara got back!" She shouted, her panicked voice echoing in the lobby.

Sakura blinked in surprise. _He was back?_ "Where is he?" She asked.

"He's at home. But he's not in a good condition. I need for you to come and see him."

"O-okay…" Sakura stuttered, still shocked from the news. She collected her things and ran out, being dragged by Temari.

He was back and not in good health…The stupid idiot! What if his wounds were too severe for her to heal? What if he died? It would be all her fault. Konoha would be ashamed. She wouldn't be able to show her face ever again. But was that what she was really worried about?

Gaara would be gone… She shuddered, not wanting to think about the possibility. She concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. She needed to stay calm. A medic couldn't work if she was distressed.

The house appeared and she quickened her pace. About a dozen ANBU guards surrounded it. A feeling of dread filled her stomach. The house was dark and cold. She rushed upstairs, following Temari. Walking down the familiar hallway, she spotted Kankuro sitting just outside Gaara's room, his chair propped up against the wall. The puppeteer looked troubled. He flashed Sakura a weak smile before moving aside to let them in.

The curtains were closed so the room was pitch black. Sakura had to blink several times before her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She spotted Temari and walked to her. She turned on a lamp that gave off a dim light. Sakura glanced at the bed and froze.

"Is that him?" She whispered.

"Yeah," Choked out Temari, her eyes watering.

Gaara was a mess. He was super pale, his red hair contrasting horribly, giving him the look of being dead. In the dim light, it seemed as though he wasn't breathing but Sakura knew better. Bruises and cuts covered his arms and legs, just like she had imagined. She couldn't see any more, but something told her that wasn't the worst of the injuries.

Sakura approached him and reached hesitantly to feel his pulse. It was weak but still there.

"He's still alive, right?" Asked Temari fearfully.

"Yes," Replied Sakura absentmindedly, ripping open his shirt to assess the damage. It was worse than she had thought.

There were three long gashes across his chest that were bleeding and seemed to be infected.

"Not good…" She mumbled. Turning to Temari, she said, "Please leave the room and stay outside unless I call you in. Healing him might get ugly and I don't want you present."

"What if he lashes out?" Asked Temari.

"I've handled worse."

She hesitated before walking out, closing the door behind her. Sakura sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She rolled up her sleeves and set up her equipment. She injected him with an anesthetic and set up the IV. The slow 'beep beep' of the heart monitor comforted her, knowing he was still alive. Barely but still there.

She looked around and grimaced. Healing him at the hospital would have been easier. She was going to have to make the best of her surroundings.

Sakura took out a scroll and, with a few quick hand seals, executed the jutsu. Seals appeared all around the bed. They would help channel her chakra evenly through his body so all his wounds healed.

She took out two others and set them over him. She did the appropriate hand seals and they began to glow a light pink. The scrolls helped the patient breath and kept them calm in case they woke in the middle of the healing process. She stepped closer to him and healed his minor injuries first. The cuts closed and the bruises faded.

Sakura placed her hands over him and began the jutsu. It was a long string of hand seals and would leave her drained afterwards but it would be worth it. The life of the Kazekage was more important.

She watched as the gashes stopped bleeding and the skin began to close as though an invisible needle were stitching it together. Color began to flow back into his face. She smiled, glad that everything was going so well.

Suddenly, her chakra stopped. Her smile faded. She increased the flow but her chakra was stuck. She stopped and watched, with growing horror, as the gashes appeared again. They were bleeding more than before and were deeper and wider.

Gaara's back arched and he let out a shout of pain. The anesthetic wasn't working well. She injected him again and let out a sigh of relief as he sank into the bed. But the gashes were there and the bleeding was intensifying.

She grabbed several soft towels and cleaned the wounds. But they kept on bleeding.

Sakura was now covered from the elbows down in Gaara's blood. She tried healing them again but they just reappeared, faster than before. The bleeding just wouldn't stop. Gaara had lost a lot of blood. He was still unconscious but Sakura was sure he felt the pain. She felt bad every time he cried out.

She wiped her hands off on a towel. She watched the monitor. The line went up and down consistently, beeping as it should. She tugged on a stray lock of hair before pushing it behind one ear. She felt frustrated, so powerless.

Suddenly, the room fell quiet. Her gaze snapped to the monitor. The line was starting to go slower and straighter. He had stopped breathing. She jolted and ran to his side. She began trying to get air into his lungs.

"Temari!" She called. The door burst open and the girl rushed in. "Help!"

She began the jutsu, adding power, hoping it would get his lungs working.

Several seconds passed. Nothing.

His heartbeat was fading.

"Damn it Gaara!" Shouted Sakura. She increased her chakra flow. "Breathe!"

She stepped back, also stopping Temari. She watched the monitor. She found it was getting hard to breathe as a loud beep filled the room. The line went straight. He was gone.

She fell to her knees. She held her head in her hands, tears spilling over her cheeks. She didn't know where they had come from. She heard Temari back into the wall, sobbing.

It was like her nightmare. She only hoped she would wake up and he would still be alive. But she knew there was no chance of that happening. He was gone. Too much blood loss plus those gashes had put a strain on his body. He just couldn't hold on anymore.

"It's all my fault." She whispered. The intense pain she felt in her chest wouldn't go away. Was this how you felt when someone you liked—she wouldn't dare say loved—died?

_Gaara…_

* * *

_Please don't hurt me! (cowers behind chair) I had to do that in order for the story to work. Remember to review!_


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: Well, here's the next chapter! I hope you all like it. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters._

_Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will she survive long enough to complete her task?_

* * *

_Chapter 10_

Sakura just sat there, staring at him, waiting for his chest to move with the signs of breathing. But it wasn't happening. He was de—no, she wouldn't say it. Temari was sobbing in Kankuro's arms. Nobody knew except them.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to control the tears flowing down her cheeks. Crying wasn't going to help. Yet, she couldn't stop.

She began searching through her mind, trying to find something that would be able to bring him back. A memory began to replay in her mind.

_Sakura sat on the floor, a rather large scroll in her hands. She was reading, an intense look on her face. Tsunade, her sensei at the time, walked in. She glanced at Sakura and seemed to realize what she was reading. Her eyes widened in shock and she hurried over to her, taking the scroll from her hands abruptly. _

"_Hey, Tsunade-sensei! I was reading that!" Shouted Sakura, looking indignant. _

"_This is a scroll that contains a very advanced jutsu that could kill you if used incorrectly." Replied Tsunade. She was closing the scroll and sliding it back into the shelf. _

"_I know that." Said Sakura. "It's a resurrection jutsu that uses your chakra and life force." _

"_You already know the hand seals?"_

"_Yep," Sakura was proud of herself._

"_Never use it unless you yourself are dying." Said Tsunade harshly, surprising her apprentice. _

"_O-okay…" Was it really that bad?_

"_Promise me, Sakura." _

"_I promise." Responded the girl. _

"_Good!" Her teacher smiled. " Now, do you want lunch?" _

The memory faded. She was trying to remember the hand seals, slowing forming them with her hands. After repeating them a few times, she had them.

"I think I might be able to bring him back." It didn't matter if she was defying Tsunade's orders. It felt as though she was dying _inside_.

"What?" Asked Temari. "Wouldn't that kill you?"

"I'm not sure but I'm willing to try. Please step back."

"Sakura, plea—" Kankuro began to protest but stopped at one glance from Sakura.

"Trust me." She insisted. The pink haired kunoichi smiled warmly at them. "Tell him that he better be grateful when he wakes." She winked at them and initiated the jutsu, her hands blurring with speed as she formed the hand seals.

She finished with the seals and slipped her hand inside his. Her chakra was so intense it was visible, a bright pink. It flowed between their linked hands, fueled by her life force. His skin began to regain some color and air flowed into his lungs.

She sensed Temari and Kankuro watching her intently, both ready to help if she needed it. But she wouldn't call out for their help. She had started the jutsu and needed to finish it…even if it cost her.

Her vision began to blur but she held on to his hand, which was now warm. She heard him groan and Temari gasped, sprinting to them. "He's coming to…" She whispered, taking in the sight with wide, scared green eyes, looking like a young girl again. Sakura fell to her knees, no longer containing the strength to keep standing, her head resting lightly on the edge of the bed.

"Sakura?"

She didn't reply. She couldn't. She was watching her chakra flow out of her, a few more minutes and she would not have any left.

"Sakura? Stop the jutsu. Gaara's alive now. He can recover from the rest by himself!" Temari was getting panicked as she realized the amount of chakra that had been drained from the girl that she had come to see as a friend. She couldn't lose her now!

She tried to detach their hands but they held fast although they were unconscious. "Damn it, Kankuro, help me!" The puppeteer tried but couldn't either.

Sakura's grip on his hand went limp. Gaara groaned again and Temari saw his eyes flicker open only to close a millisecond later. The hand that Sakura had held twitched as if searching for the missing warmth.

"Sakura!" Shouted Temari, shaking the girl.

"Is he…alive?" came the whisper from the pink haired kunoichi.

Temari was in tears now. "Yes… All thanks to you."

A smile appeared on her pale face. "Good…" Her green eyes slid shut and she was still. The sand nin hurriedly pressed her face against her chest and was relieved, for the moment, to hear the faint beating of her heart, which was rapidly fading.

She picked her up and shouted, "Let's get them to the hospital!"

They sped out of the room, past the guards, ignoring their shouts, and towards the hospital.

"Will they live?" Asked Kankuro, holding his younger brother in his arms, careful to avoid putting pressure on the gashes.

"I pray to God that they will."

&&&&&&&&&

The young Kazekage groaned and tried to raise a hand to his face but found he couldn't. He forced his eyes open and blinked slowly a few times. Rays of sunlight fell across the white sheets, coming in through the open window. A soft breeze filled the room, making him feel light.

He was in the…hospital? He could've sworn he had died and seen a beautiful angel that had held his hand.

He turned his head and caught sight of a head of pink hair. Recognition sparked in his mind.

Sakura… She had been the one who saved his life, giving him her chakra and life force after everything he had done to her.

Was she dead? No, probably not. They wouldn't have left her in a hospital bed if she was dead.

He sat up and winced at the sharp pangs of pain that shot through him at the movement. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and walked slowly over to her side. He looked down at her face and sighed.

The stupid girl had risked her life. Any more and she would have really died.

She looked peaceful. He reached out to trace her jaw, pulling back when she gave a soft moan.

What was he doing?

Her green eyes snapped open, shock and fear mingling in them. But both emotions faded as soon as she saw him, a smile appearing on her face. "You're safe." She whispered.

"Yes." He said stiffly, ashamed that he had been caught by her side.

She reached out and grabbed his hand, her grip still weak. He stiffened, unused to such physical contact.

"You shouldn't be moving around. Those gashes were what caused you to die." She gestured to his heavily bandaged chest.

"You shouldn't be moving either. You are still really low on chakra." He replied, removing his hand from hers, moving to sit down at the foot of her bed.

Silence fell over them as they really saw each other for the first time since she had arrived.

She studied the kanji tattooed on his forehead; how his hair contrasted with his skin, how obvious was the fact that he had been an insomniac, those dark lines would never fade.

He studied her pink hair, how it reflected gold when the sun hit it. Her eyes, which were so much like his, gazed at him intently. He didn't really know what was happening, just that it was.

Sakura moved forward until she was sitting cross-legged across from him, her legs barely touching his. She reached and grabbed both his hands and held them in her lap, her fingers idly tracing the scars on the backs, the results of many years being a ninja. He didn't feel uncomfortable with her actions, they felt normal.

She suddenly stopped. He glanced at her. She was staring down, her face hidden by her pink hair. He could sense her sadness. He didn't speak, however, waiting for her.

"I couldn't save you the first time. I saw you die…" She began; her voice was just above a whisper.

"I thought many times before, when you had hurt me, that I wouldn't feel anything if you died or got hurt. But this time my heart felt like it was being wrenched out of me."

He frowned. Just what was she getting at? She continued.

"I felt like I was dying." She looked up at him. "I never want to feel like that again." A sad smile hovered on her full, pink lips. "Never do that again, understand?"

He nodded, mute. These strange feelings were swirling around inside of him.

Strangely, he wanted to know if she tasted like cherry blossoms since her name did mean that. He found himself leaning toward her, taking her arms and pulling her dangerously close. She gasped softly, her eyes wide.

Their faces were inches apart. "Are you afraid of me?" He asked.

"No." She answered truthfully. She trusted him.

He smiled the ghost of a smile. "Thank you."

And with that their lips met in a hesitant kiss, each forgetting their worries and differences for one brief moment.

* * *

_So, Gaara came back to life. I hope you're all happy. And I hope it didn't seem too rushed. Remember to review!_


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: The chapter before the last... It's very fluffy and stuff but whatever. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters._

_Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will she survive long enough to complete her task?_

* * *

_Chapter 11 _

Gaara pulled away from her and took a deep breath, trying to sort through his emotions. The room was silent as they both wondered about what had happened. Their eyes met and they blushed.

"Er, lovely weather, eh?" Said Sakura.

"Wrong side of the room," Replied Gaara, trying to hide his smirk.

She looked and her blush increased in intensity. She had been gesturing towards where the door was while the window was on her other side. "Uh, I knew that."

Silence fell again as they both looked around the room avoiding each other's gaze.

He chanced a glance at her and met her eyes. She had also been looking at him. Gaara hesitated before leaning toward her. Then, very gently, he rested his cheek against the hollow at the base of her throat. Sakura was unable to move. She listened to the sound of his even breathing, watching the rays of light streaming in through the window.

With deliberate slowness, his hands slid down her arms. She shivered, and she heard him catch his breath. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to him. His face drifted to the side, his nose skimming across her collarbone. He came to rest with the side of his face pressed softly against her chest.

Listening to her heart.

Sakura didn't know how long they sat like that, with his face against her chest, her running her hands through his hair. All she knew was that she enjoyed every minute of it.

He released her and captured her lips in a kiss.

"Oh, Kami!"

Temari and Kankuro stood in the door.

The two jumped apart, leaving a good three feet distance between each other.

A grin slid onto Temari's face. "Aren't you two supposed to be injured?" She said, approaching the bed.

Gaara fixed her with a glare. "What are you doing here?"

"Just checking up on you," Replied Kankuro.

"Spying is more like it." Hissed Gaara.

"No, really, we were worried about you both." Said Temari, her expression serious.

"Um, thanks for the concern." Said Sakura.

"No problem."

Temari slid an arm around Sakura and playfully ruffled her hair, like one might do to a younger sister.

"I wonder what would've happened if we hadn't come in then, huh, Kankuro?"

"I expect Gaara would've taken her right here in the hospital."

Sakura's blush was an entirely different shade of red.

"Perverts!" He exclaimed, whacking Kankuro across the head with sand.

The two siblings looked at each other and nodded.

"Yeah, I think he would've."

&&&&&&&&&&&&

**3 weeks later—52 days left… **

The temperature was high in Sunagakure, the sky a perfect, cloudless blue. Haruno Sakura sat on the roof of the place that had been her home for the past three months and a half. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, holding them to herself. She was gazing out beyond the boundaries of the village at the sea of sand, wondering how everyone was doing back at Konoha.

Her thoughts strayed to the Kazekage and her cheeks turned red.

He had her in constant confusion. One day he was as nice as he could be, the other he didn't even acknowledge her. They had had more than one fight over it. She sighed.

"You took my spot."

Her heart quickened.

"Gaara!" She breathed, feeling his hand on her back. He sat down and pulled her into his lap, his arms wrapping around her. "What are you doing?"

"Just holding you," He answered.

Sakura smiled and leaned back into him. He was slowly opening up to her and his icy exterior was melting. It was nice being with him…

Suddenly, she remembered the letter that had arrived from Konoha. Her smile disappeared and her brow furrowed. She bit her lip, trying to find out a way to tell him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, sensing the abrupt change in her mood.

"Well…Tsunade-sama sent me a letter and…" She trailed off.

He waited for her to continue.

"She's says my time here is done and that I need to go back home."

There was silence. Gaara didn't say anything but Sakura felt his arms tighten unconsciously around her. He finally spoke after a few minutes and she could tell he was not happy. "Don't you have a month or so left?"

"She got the weekly report and has decided that I've taught the medics all I can."

"But, you—"

Sakura cut him off by placing a finger on his lips. "I need to go home. I cannot disobey the Hokage. And you can't keep me here unless you want a war."

Gaara scoffed. "Who said I planned on keeping you here?"

She rolled her eyes. "Gaara…I could see you getting agitated."

"I wasn't."

"You were."

He set her down beside him and stood up. "Go back then, Haruno." He said coldly.

And with those words he went to leave. Sakura felt tears well up in her eyes. "Is that it then? You'll let me leave?" She asked.

He didn't bother turning back. "They are orders from your Hokage. I cannot do anything." He opened the door but never went through.

He closed his eyes when he felt her wrap her arms around him. He didn't dare speak or move for fear that she let him go and take away the warmth. "Please, I want to stay." She murmured into the fabric of his shirt. "You might not want me but I like it here."

They stayed like that for several minutes. Gaara sighed and turned, his arms wrapping around her, hesitantly, almost as if he was afraid of crushing her.

"You know," He said. "I'm still learning how to be human."

"I know," Sakura whispered.

"I'm sure to lack something in some areas."

Her laugh was short and weak. "So?"

"Don't make me say it." Gaara said.

"I understand." Sakura detached herself from him and wiped away her tears. "I'm being silly. After all, you're the _Kazekage_. My home is in _Konoha._ It would never really work."

"Really?" He pressed his lips against hers, not giving her time to respond. Breathless, they pulled away.

"Though I think we could make it work." Said Sakura. She smiled.

"I guess…" He sighed.

"I'll take that as a 'Yes, me too.'"

Together, they went back into the house, unaware of the high fives his siblings exchanged as they watched them.

"How cute!" Exclaimed Temari.

"Finally, he has someone." Said Kankuro.

They looked at each other. "We are awesome." They stated, smug smiles on their faces.

Ah, siblings are good for some things…

* * *

_Yeah...well, I need all of your opinions on something. I want to write another story after this and cannot decide on what to write about. Okay, so here are the choices:_

_**Neji/Tenten**_

_Plot: Has to do with them finding out some things about the future and everything gets messed and they have to try to fix it. Mostly humor/romance._

_**Naruto/Hinata**_

_Plot: Slightly darker fic that delves more into everything they go through to finally get together. _

_Well, pick and review! _


	12. Epilogue

_A/N: The epilogue! I have completed my first chapter story! (throws confetti) Review people!_

_I will also be starting a new story. It's titled: Define Destiny and is Naru/Hina. Sorry Neji/Tenten fans but most people voted for that one. Check it out and review!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters._

_Summary: Sakura is sent to Sunagakure on a mission to train the medic ninja there. Yet, there is one little problem…She'll be living with the Kazekage and his family. Will she survive long enough to complete her task?_

* * *

_Chapter 12—Epilogue _

Haruno Sakura stepped through the huge gates and smiled. She was finally home, back in Konoha. The village was thriving and peaceful, just how she had left it many months ago.

"Sakura-chan!"

Her smile got bigger as she spotted her close friend, Naruto, dashing through the villagers towards her. He leapt at her and crushed her in a hug that sent them both tumbling to the floor.

"Naruto!" She exclaimed, both annoyed and happy.

"I really missed you, Sakura-chan!" He shouted, planting a kiss on her cheek.

They got up from the ground, ignoring the weird looks the villagers were giving them. "I missed you too."

He grabbed one of her bags and began walking, Sakura by his side. "I have to go to see Tsunade-sama."

"I'll take you," He said. "So, how was Suna? Did you see Gaara?"

A slight blush rose on her cheeks at the mention of the Kazekage. "It was very nice there despite all the sand. Gaara," Here she hesitated. She couldn't let Naruto know how close she was to him. "—san was kind. He's a very good leader."

Naruto laughed, "Yeah, he is, but what a temper."

"Oh, really?" She faked ignorance. "I never really noticed."

**"Why try to hide it?" **Asked Inner Sakura. She had been quiet for some time, so her sudden appearance startled Sakura slightly.

_"If Naruto found out, he would tell the whole village." _Replied Sakura.

**"Hmm…true." **Inner Sakura faded.

"Sakura? Sakura?"

She blinked. Naruto was waving his hand in front of her. Apparently she had spaced out in front of the door to the Tsunade's office. Ugh, she was so lame!

"Sorry," She mumbled and walked inside.

Tsunade was sitting at her desk, calmly sipping sake, reading a rather large scroll. She looked up when they entered and smiled. Sakura's eyes narrowed. She didn't like the look on her face. It was too…happy.

"Hello, Sakura. Welcome back." She said, closing the scroll and setting down her sake.

"Hello, Tsunade-sama."

Naruto set down her bag and sat down in a chair, looking curiously between the two women.

"I got the most interesting letter from the Kazekage today." She said.

_"Oh, no…"_ Thought Sakura.

The smile on Tsunade's face seemed to get wider and…eviler. "He requested that you be sent back since his sister, Temari, needs someone to help her with all the paperwork."

"For real?" Her voice came out rushed.

"Yep,"

_"So, he did think of something." _

"What did you do to Gaara, Sakura? Seduce him?" Asked Naruto. She could hear the teasing in his voice.

"No," She said. Yet, she was unable to wipe the grin off her face.

She became aware of the sound of sand moving, a sound she had come to know well. An arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. She could feel a well-muscled chest pressed to her back.

"Gaara!" Naruto exclaimed, almost falling off the chair in surprise.

Tsunade didn't seem in the least bit shocked. It was almost as if she had been expecting him… Hmph, she knew there had been something weird about her greeting.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked.

"I came to escort you back to Suna." He answered.

She sighed. "Okay, I'll go."

"As if you had a choice,"

"Hey—!"

He silenced her with a kiss.

Naruto almost went into cardiac arrest. He never imagined he'd see the day when Gaara, cold-hearted Gaara, kissed a girl, especially Sakura. But, he was happy for his friends.

They grabbed her bags and went on their way. As they were walking out, Tsunade stopped them.

"You better take care of her, Gaara." She warned. "If I hear one complain—" She drew her finger across her throat in a threatening manner.

"You won't." Assured Gaara, a smirk on his face.

"I'll be visiting soon!" Shouted Naruto after them. "I'll make sure to bring everyone else along too!"

Sakura groaned. "I hope your house is big enough."

Gaara shrugged. "We'll see what happens when the time comes."

"How long had you known this was going to happen?" She asked.

"About…" He paused, thinking. "A week or so,"

"And you didn't tell me!"

"It was a surprise." He answered with an expressionless face.

"Be grateful I have forgiven you." She said.

"And why should I?"

"Because you need me," With that said, she began running, cutting off his response. "I'll race you!" She shouted.

Gaara growled and ran after her. He was going to have a _long_ chat with her once they arrived.


End file.
